M-4 and 210C questions

[Strangeak]

Does anyone have some experience and can tell me a bit about the m-4's? ive also heard a bit about the 210c requiring a lot of maintence.


Thanks in advance for any input.

[maules.com]

You can see the years and models of M4 on maules.com specifications chronology. There was a few S and T models with the 29'10" wing. A few very early airplanes had fabric wings but not many. The rear seat in the pre C (cargo ie big rear door) models had a sling fixed rear seat. S model had no cargo hatch. The C model had a one piece seat that tips forward or removes. M4 has the round tail and M5 on is swept tail, larger controls. Earliest M4s were 2100lb gross then later 2300lb. Most M4 except the last years '72, '73 had 40gals.
The 210 cont. is a good engine but so smooth that it gets leaned too agressively and before the days of JPI pilots burned up the cyls in about 900hrs. It is also rather expensive to overhaul.
Hopefully other users will add their real life experiences for you.

[Roy]

Hello to all, this is my first reply to this forum so I hope I have done every-thing right. I have just been hanging around reading, however strangeak has asked a question that is dear to my heart.
I own a 1965, M4-210, and in my humble opinion it's great airplane. I must admit I have only owned my Maule a little over year but I have been flying in it off and on for about 40 years. It sits in the hanger next to my Cub and I have, lusted over it for a long time and finally last year the owner decided to sell it to me. It went thru a fairly extensive major since I bought it and we now have about 10 hours on the new rebuilt engine. It went well over TBO before I had it majored. And looking thru the log books and what I know of the plane it doesn't seem to require much more maintaince than other planes that I have any knowledge of.
Rebuilds on the Continental 210 are expensive! (Over 20K) But take care of them and they seem to last a long time. Just get the fuel system right and it will really perform. And if you haven't heard a 210 overhead on short final to a small grass strip you just can't believe the sound. Awesome is the only way I can describe it.
Yea I like mine - almost as much as my J3.

I don't think you will be disappointed with an older Maule if you can find one that hasn't been beat up too bad.
Roy

[MikeW]

I own a 73' M4 210C I think it is flat out the best airplane for the money. My engine is still about 400 hours under TBO, it runs great, oil consumption is minimal and compressions are all mid to high 70's. I have checked around at overhaul facilities and have got quotes from 10K to 18K for an overhaul, not a rebuild. The airplane does a lot of things very well. I don't lean my engine to much. I do most my flying at lower altitudes and usually run my mixture on the rich side. Flying it is straight foward. I had never seen a rudder trim/aileron interconnect before, but it's a non-issue. I wouldn't hestitate again to purchase one.


Mike

[Maule 9V]

My plane is the M5 with the 210hp Continental. It was the engine I wanted and after 7 years I have no regrets. It runs very smooth. With GAMIs and JPI 700 it will cruise about 130 mph on 8-9 gph.

[plowboy]

I have had a 66 m4 for 20+ years and it has treated me very well. have never had any major engine problems. And I would be the first to admit that I sometimes do not treat it that well.

[iceman]

I just this year bought a 66 M4 210 C from a fellow in Good Thunder Minnesota and flew it home. I have been flying a PA 22 for the pas 8 years and go to Idaho to fish the back country every summer. I bought the Maule after bumping into the Maule pilots at their fly in two summers ago at Johnson Creek. I vowed then and there I would own one. I loved the PA 22 but it just wasn't enough airplane for where I wanted to go. I can't wait for this summers trip to Johnson Creek. I practice slow flight and short field techniques constantly here in San diego. and fly to the desert strips east of here at least two sundays a month. and yes we do have dirt strips here in LA LA land. Only cub drivers and Maule drivers dare use them though, and occasionally a 180/185 driver. I love my new Maule and hope to meet up with some of you veteran Maule drivers next summer up there.